Hydrangea plant named ‘801’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘801’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong stems; large durable leaves; large inflorescences; and inflorescences with white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘801’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 801.

The new Hydrangea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new stronger-growing Hydrangeas with attractive flower bract coloration and no vernalization requirement.

The new Hydrangea originated from a cross-pollination conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands on Jul. 20, 1999 of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea hybrida identified as code number 98056, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangea hybrida identified as code number 98028, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar 801 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany on Mar. 14, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings at Glandorf, Germany, since Mar. 15, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar 801 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘801’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘801’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Large durable leaves.     -   4. Large inflorescences.     -   5. Inflorescences with white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of female parent selection primarily in branch thickness as plants of the new Hydrangea have thicker lateral branches than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of male parent selection primarily in flower size as plants of the new Hydrangea have smaller flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the cultivar Schneeball, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Hydrangea differed from plants of the cultivar Schneeball in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea were larger and grew faster than         plants of the cultivar Schneeball.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea had stronger lateral branches         than plants of the cultivar Schneeball.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea had larger leaves with longer         petioles than plants of the cultivar Schneeball.     -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea had larger inflorescences but         smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Schneeball.     -   5. Plants of the new Hydrangea were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Schneeball.     -   6. Plants of the new Hydrangea had straight sepal margins         whereas plants of the cultivar Schneeball had undulate sepal         margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant ‘801’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown in Glandorf, Germany, in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures were about 17° C. Plants were about one year old when the photograph and description were taken. The photograph and description were taken during the late winter/early spring.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea hybrida cultivar 801. -   Parentage:     -   -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea hybrida             selection identified as code number 98056, not patented.         -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea hybrida             selection identified as code number 98208, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, summer.—About             four weeks at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, winter.—About             five weeks at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; white to brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit. Strong             lateral branches; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 30 to             40 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 50 cm.         -   Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about             five lateral branches per plant.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 to 35 cm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Very strong. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaves large, simple, opposite and             durable. Length: About 13 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape:             Elliptic to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Dentate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth to             rugose; glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close             to 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: Close to 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146A. Petiole: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. -   Flower description: No pH sensitivity affecting flower color has     been observed in this plant.     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flat flowers arranged on             terminal panicles; panicles large and globular. Flowers face             upright to outward. Flowers persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Intermittent flowering during the             summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three months on the             plant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 90 to 100 per             panicle.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 21 cm.         -   Panicle height.—About 11 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 145B to 145C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About             4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: 145D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: 155B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Four, fused into a calyx.             Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Deltoid to             orbicular. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 150D. Fully opened,             upper and lower surfaces: 155B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Strong. Length: About 1 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 7 mm.             Color: 155B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             three. Anther shape: Conical. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: 155B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About             eight. Pistil length: About 3 to 4 mm. Stigma shape: Oval.             Stigma color: Close to 155B. Style length: About 2 to 3 mm.             Style color: 155B. Ovary color: 155B. Seed: Length: About             1 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Color: Brownish. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 3 to about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘801’, as illustrated and described. 